An inspiring, intimate portrayal of the humanity and passion of a woman who challenges convention and defies the odds to become a pioneer of science.Rating
Excellent!
Marie Curie: Exposed is a play about the Nobel Prize-winning scientist famous for her groundbreaking research into radioactivity. On at the Etcera Theatre, it takes the audience on a journey from cradle to grave. The story reveals some of the lesser-known aspects of Curie’s personal life and showcases many of the obstacles she had to face in order to gain the recognition she deserved for her extraordinary work. We are introduced to a woman who believed science was for all; who thought everyone had a right to education; who valued discovery above money; and who passionately loved her family, her husband and her homeland. She overcame poverty, sexism, xenophobia and bereavements, driven by a passionate commitment to scientific discovery.
This is no dry lecture on the marvels of radioactivity and hard work. It’s an engaging, entertaining, heartfelt love letter to a remarkable woman with an endless curiosity about the natural world. I had heard of her discoveries but knew little of her background, something which the play sheds light on. It highlights her struggles: funding her sister’s education as well as her own; fighting for recognition of her work; trying and failing and trying again to prove the existence of a new element; and even helping the sick on the battlefield during the First World War.
Mark Stratford has directed the show well: it is deftly staged, the few costume changes slickly handled, and the simple props brought on stage without detracting from the story. There are moments when the actors confidently acknowledge the subterfuge of theatre with the audience: a knowing look about the use of a sound effect of a champagne cork popping brings a titter from the crowd.
The performances are equally strong: Abbe Lee is excellent as Marie Curie, commanding the stage expertly. Her small stature seems to highlight the huge setbacks Curie had to overcome as a woman struggling to get recognised in the field of science. She is passionate, stoic, and heartfelt. Stratford has the harder part: playing a number of roles. It is a testament to his skill that even when he throws on a shawl to play the part of Marie’s sister, he takes the audience along with him.
For me, the only point when the play dips, and then only marginally, is right at the very end. The actors return to the narration of the start, stepping out of character to briefly explain Curie’s death. Having followed her through the twists and turns of her life, her final moments are delivered in a rather cursory manner, leaving me feeling slightly shortchanged.
The subject matter may sound worthy, but Stratford’s script manages to balance humour, love, loss, frustration and a fair dose of easily digestible science to present a really three-dimensional characterisation of this remarkable woman. He does a good job of bringing out themes like patriarchy and trial by tabloids, which make the story feel relevant to today’s society.
I left the theatre full of pride in the indomitable spirit of some women to fight against the odds, and with a more rounded knowledge of, to quote the poster, this “unstoppable genius”.
Written, Designed and Directed by: Mark Stratford
Voiceovers by: Ruby Waghorn
Sound operator: Guy Smith
Marie Curie: Exposed has completed its run at the Etcetera Theatre as part of the Camden Fringe Festival.
